# NM Bluebird vs Read

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NM Bluebird at none against Read's 2. NM Bluebird also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 26.0). Read's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 7 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Read sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. NM Bluebird asks for nothing beyond the download.

NM Bluebird ships an update every 7 months, Read every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NM Bluebird | Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (234 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nm-bluebird/id873112729/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **234** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 26 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tecnavia](https://appshunter.io/developer/366664051) | [treeinspired GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/373040913) |

## What reviewers say

### NM Bluebird

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nm-bluebird/id873112729)

Enhance your reading experience on iOS devices with this app. Navigate publications using intuitive gestures, zoom into pages, or switch to article mode for adjustable text. Access the latest and past editions for online or offline reading.

**Highlights:** iOS multi-gestures navigation, Swipe to browse pages/sections, Tap to zoom page image, Article mode with adjustable font size, Full text search, Online and offline reading, Access to back issues

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Authentic newspaper reading experience with page-turning interface
- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-navigate design
- 🔍 Flexible zoom and text sizing options
- 📥 Ability to download editions for offline reading
- ⚡ Quick access to recent editions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent technical issues and crashes
- 🐛 Page-turning swipe sensitivity too high
- 🐛 Random logout and session interruptions
- 🐛 Occasional blank pages and content rendering failures
- 🐛 Download failures and incomplete loading

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after recent iOS updates
- Page turning swipe too sensitive causing accidental navigation
- Random logout and authentication failures
- Blank pages and content rendering issues
- Download hangs at 75% completion

**Requested features**

- Add New York Times to app
- Add Financial Times to app
- Add Barron's to app
- Add more newspaper publications
- Full-screen text reading mode


### Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-focused-reading/id1613193850)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Read Pro monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Read Pro yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NM Bluebird free?

NM Bluebird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Read free?

Read is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do NM Bluebird or Read have ads?

NM Bluebird shows ads; Read does not.

### Which is updated more often, NM Bluebird or Read?

NM Bluebird ships an update every 7 months, and Read every 2 days. Most recently, NM Bluebird was updated on October 17, 2026 and Read on October 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*